Essex County College
- Graduation Rate
- 20% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $37,230 C-
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $4,436 A
- 74% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 5,855
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 54.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $54.4 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $54.4 over 20 years. Net gain: $947,682.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduation of 20% — 64% below the national average.
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Social mobility rate of 3.29% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $54.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Essex County College Matters
Essex County College is a public community college in Newark, NJ and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: durable upward mobility for the students it enrolls.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 5,855
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Humanities, Social Sciences
Why students choose Essex County College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $4,436 a year after grants and scholarships — 74% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $37,230 ten years after enrolling — 9% below the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 3.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 7% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.61 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Essex County College is a great fit for students looking to enter fields like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Humanities, Social Sciences, or Education. With an enrollment of about 5,855, this public college focuses on practical skills and career readiness. This means students can expect a hands-on approach to learning, which is crucial for those looking to jump directly into the workforce.
After graduation, students can anticipate average earnings around $37,230 a year within a decade of completing their studies. That’s a solid starting point for many graduates, especially considering the college's affordability. The financial landscape is supportive, with nearly half of the student body receiving Pell Grants, which can help ease the burden of educational costs.
When it comes to the bottom line, the net price after aid is around $4,436, making it accessible for many students. While we don’t have specific data on median debt, the overall financial picture allows students from various backgrounds to thrive. Those who succeed here often appreciate a community-oriented environment and a focus on practical, career-oriented education.
Rankings
- #11 Most Affordable Colleges in New Jersey
- #19 Best Education Colleges in New Jersey
- #32 Best Computer Science Colleges in New Jersey
- #32 Best Data Science Colleges in New Jersey
- #39 Best Nursing Colleges in New Jersey
- #43 Best Online Colleges in New Jersey
- #44 Best Business Colleges in New Jersey
- #47 Best Colleges in New Jersey
Can I Get In?
How selective Essex County College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Essex County College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Newark, New Jersey, Essex County College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 20%.
- Retention Rate
- 56%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,315
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 24:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.70
- First-Gen Students
- 57%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Essex County College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Essex County College is $9,523, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $4,436. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,792 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $5,415
- Out-of-State
- $9,523
- Avg Net Price
- $4,436
- Pell Grant Rate
- 47%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 0%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $3,792
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $4,562
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $6,135
- Family Income $110K+
- $9,647
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Essex County College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Essex County College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Essex County College report median earnings of $37,230, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $30,298
- 8 Years
- $33,895
- 10 Years
- $37,230
- Earning > $25K
- 44%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (41)
- 4%
- 100% (41)
- 4%
- 100% (41)
- 4%
- 100% (41)
- 4%
How Essex Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Essex County College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Essex County College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $4,436/year ($17,744 total). Graduates earn $37,230 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $965,426 in total earnings — a net gain of $947,682 (54.4× your investment).. With a 20% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $17,744
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $965,426
- Net Return
- $947,682
- ROI Multiple
- 54.4×
- Cost Per Year
- $4,436
- Graduation Rate
- 20%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Essex County College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Essex County College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.29%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 25.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 13% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $43,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 3.29%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 13.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 25.3%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $58,422
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Top Programs
The fields Essex County College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 25% $90,849 early-career
- Business & Marketing 23% $39,121 early-career
- Humanities 18%
- Social Sciences 8% $29,017 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 7%
- Education 5% $28,558 early-career
- Criminal Justice 3% $29,935 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 2%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Essex County College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Essex County College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Newark, New Jersey, Essex County College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 20%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Essex County College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Essex County College is $9,523, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $4,436. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,792 after need-based grants.
Is Essex County College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Essex County College report median earnings of $37,230, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Essex County College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Essex County College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.29%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 25.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 13% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $43,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Essex County College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Essex County College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.61, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias runs higher (0.18), suggesting students tend to form ties within their own economic group. Around 2% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Essex County College.
- Delta CollegeUniversity Center, MI · Close peer21% grad $37,781 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- CUNY Bronx Community CollegeBronx, NY · Close peer17% grad $41,307 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- New Mexico State University-Dona AnaLas Cruces, NM · Close peer17% grad $39,067 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Bristol Community CollegeFall River, MA · Close peer22% grad $38,663 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- CUNY Hostos Community CollegeBronx, NY · Close peer17% grad $40,485 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Chattanooga State Community CollegeChattanooga, TN · Close peer24% grad $37,598 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Essex County College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Essex County College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.61, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias runs higher (0.18), suggesting students tend to form ties within their own economic group. Around 2% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note